Method and system for managing roaming of a mobile equipment

Abstract

A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment of a subscriber with the aid of a system, when the mobile equipment is roaming between a home network, and a foreign network. The method includes the steps with the aid of N number of monitors included in the system, wherein N is an integer, and N≧1, each monitor monitors a cable in order to detect packets sent on the cable; with the aid of a control system included in the system, and connected to the N number of monitors, to decide if a packet is a roaming event; and if it is decided that a packet is a roaming event, with the aid of the control system, to trigger an action in connection to roaming.

1 . A system ( 10 ) operable to manage roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber, when said mobile equipment ( 12 ) is roaming between a home network ( 14 ) and a foreign network ( 16 ), said system ( 10 ) comprising a Home Location Register ( 18 ) connected to said home network ( 14 ), characterized in that said system ( 10 ) also comprises N number of monitor means ( 20   1 , . . . ,  20   N ), wherein N is an integer, and N≧1, wherein each monitor means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is operable to monitor a cable in order to detect packets sent on said cable, and a control system ( 22 ) connected to said N number of monitor means ( 20   1 , . . . ,  20   N ), and operable to decide if a packet is a roaming event, and if it is decided that a packet is a roaming event, said control system ( 22 ) is also operable to trigger an action in connection to roaming. 
     
     
         2 . A system ( 10 ) operable to manage roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that each said monitor means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is a passive probe ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ). 
     
     
         3 . A system ( 10 ) operable to manage roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that each said monitor means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is an active probe ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ). 
     
     
         4 . A system ( 10 ) operable to manage roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that each said monitor means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is a router, or a switch ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) operable to perform port mirroring. 
     
     
         5 . A system ( 10 ) operable to manage roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to  claim 3 , characterized in that each said active probe ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is a filter means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) operable to discard some of the packets, and to forward the rest of the packets. 
     
     
         6 . A system ( 10 ) operable to manage roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to any one of  claims 1 - 5 , characterized in that said system ( 10 ) also comprises a first means ( 24 ) operable to store a first list customized for each subscriber, said first list comprises information regarding the countries visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), number of times a certain country have been visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), and for how long time said certain country have been visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), a second means ( 26 ) operable to store a second list customized for each subscriber, said second list comprises information about preferred operators for a part of said countries on said first list, wherein said control system ( 22 ) also is connected to said home network ( 14 ), said foreign network ( 16 ), said Home Location Register ( 18 ), said first means ( 24 ), and said second means ( 26 ), and in that said action triggered by said control system ( 22 ) is to update said first list, and wherein said control system ( 22 ) also is operable to periodically examine said first list, and if said first list has changed above a predetermined threshold value, to update said second list, and thereafter to send said updated second list to said mobile equipment ( 12 ). 
     
     
         7 . A system ( 10 ) operable to manage roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to any one of  claims 1 ,  3 , or  5 , characterized in that said system ( 10 ) also comprises a third means ( 28 ) operable to store a third list customized for each subscriber, said third list comprises information about allowed networks for each subscriber, and in that each said monitor means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is connected to said Home Location Register ( 18 ), wherein said control system ( 22 ) also is connected to said Home Location Register ( 18 ), and said third means ( 28 ), and in that said action triggered by said control system ( 22 ) is that said monitor means ( 20   1 , . . . ,  20   N ) only accepts and forwards roaming requests regarding allowed networks to said Home Location Register ( 18 ). 
     
     
         8 . A system ( 10 ) operable to manage roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to any one of  claims 1 - 5 , characterized in that said system ( 10 ) also comprises a fourth means ( 30 ) operable to store a fourth list customized for each subscriber, said fourth list comprises information regarding the costs to use a certain network, and when a message is to be sent to a subscriber based on previous subscriber history, wherein said control system ( 22 ) also is connected to said fourth means ( 30 ), and in that said action triggered by said control system ( 22 ) is to send a message to said mobile equipment ( 12 ). 
     
     
         9 . A system ( 10 ) operable to manage roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to any one of  claims 1 - 5 , characterized in that said system ( 10 ) also comprises a first means ( 24 ) operable to store a first list customized for each subscriber, said first list comprises information regarding the countries visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), number of times a certain country have been visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), and for how long time said certain country have been visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), and in that said control system ( 22 ) comprises a statistics node ( 22   1 ) connected to said first means ( 24 ) and said Home Location Register ( 18 ), and a roaming subscriber node ( 22   2 ) connected to said statistics node ( 22   1 ), and in that said action triggered by said control system ( 22 ) is to store statistics about each subscriber. 
     
     
         10 . A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber with the aid of a system ( 10 ), when said mobile equipment ( 12 ) is roaming between a home network ( 14 ), and a foreign network ( 16 ), said method comprises the steps:
 with the aid of N number of monitor means ( 20   1 , . . . ,  20   N ) comprised in said system ( 10 ), wherein N is an integer, and N≧1, each monitor means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) monitor a cable in order to detect packets sent on said cable;   with the aid of a control system ( 22 ) comprised in said system ( 10 ), and connected to said N number of monitor means ( 20   1 , . . . ,  20   N ), to decide if a packet is a roaming event; and   if it is decided that a packet is a roaming event, with the aid of said control system ( 22 ), to trigger an action in connection to roaming.   
     
     
         11 . A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to  claim 10 , characterized in that each said monitor means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is a passive probe ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ). 
     
     
         12 . A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to  claim 10 , characterized in that each said monitor means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is an active probe ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ). 
     
     
         13 . A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to  claim 10 , characterized in that each said monitor means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is a router, or a switch ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ), and in that said method also comprises the step:
 with the aid of said router, or switch ( 20   1 , . . . ,  20   N ), to perform port mirroring.   
     
     
         14 . A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to  claim 12 , characterized in that each said active probe ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ) is a filter means ( 20   1 ; . . . ;  20   N ), and in that said method also comprises the step:
 with the aid of said filter means ( 20   1 , . . . ,  20   N ), to discard some of the packets, and to forward the rest of the packets.   
     
     
         15 . A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to any one of  claims 10 - 14 , characterized in that said method also comprises the steps:
 with the aid of a first means ( 24 ) comprised in said system ( 10 ), to store a first list customized for each subscriber, said first list comprises information regarding the countries visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), number of times a certain country have been visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), and for how long time said certain country have been visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 );   with the aid of a second means ( 26 ) comprised in said system ( 10 ), to store a second list customized for each subscriber, said second list comprises information about preferred operators for a part of said countries on said first list;   wherein said action triggered by said control system ( 22 ) is to update said first list;   with the aid of said control system ( 22 ), to periodically examine said first list;   if said first list has changed above a predetermined threshold, with the aid of said control system ( 22 ), to update said second list; and   to send said updated second list to said mobile equipment ( 12 ).   
     
     
         16 . A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to any one of  claims 10 ,  12 , or  14 , characterized in that said method also comprises the steps:
 with the aid of a third means ( 28 ) comprised in said system ( 10 ), to store a third list customized for each subscriber, said third list comprises information about allowed networks for each subscriber; and   wherein said action triggered by said control system ( 22 ) is that said monitor means ( 20   1 , . . . ,  20   N ) only accepts and forwards roaming requests regarding allowed networks to said Home Location Register ( 18 ).   
     
     
         17 . A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to any one of  claims 10 - 14 , characterized in that said method also comprises the steps:
 with the aid of a fourth means ( 30 ) comprised in said system ( 10 ), to store a fourth list customized for each subscriber, said fourth list comprises information regarding the costs to use a certain network, and when a message is to be sent to a subscriber based on previous subscriber history; and   wherein said action triggered by said control system ( 22 ) is to send a message to said mobile equipment ( 12 ).   
     
     
         18 . A method for managing roaming of a mobile equipment ( 12 ) of a subscriber according to any one of  claims 10 - 14 , characterized in that said method also comprises the steps:
 with the aid of a first means ( 24 ) comprised in said system ( 10 ), to store a first list customized for each subscriber, said first list comprises information regarding the countries visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), number of times a certain country have been visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ), and for how long time said certain country have been visited by said mobile equipment ( 12 ); and   wherein said action triggered by said control system ( 22 ) is to store statistics about each subscriber with the aid of a statistics node ( 22   1 ) comprised in said control system ( 22 ), and connected to said first means ( 24 ), and said Home Location Register ( 18 ), and a roaming subscriber node ( 22   2 ) comprised in said control system ( 22 ), and connected to said statistics node ( 22   1 ).   
     
     
         19 . At least one computer program product ( 102   1 , . . . ,  102   n ) directly loadable into the internal memory of at least one digital computer ( 100   1 , . . . ,  100   n ), comprising software code portion for performing the steps of  claim 10  when said at least one product ( 102   1 , . . . ,  102   n ) is/are run on said at least one computer ( 100   1 , . . . ,  100   n ).